Relative attempts to bribe jury, judge aborts trial

Nov 07, 2009 News

Justice Winston Patterson, on Thursday, aborted the trial of 34-year-old Eric Sookchine for the murder of his 24-year-old wife, Jasodra Sookchine. At the time, her husband, who was 30, allegedly slashed her throat when she was eight weeks pregnant.
The judge was forced to adopt this action after a member of the jury immediately reported an approach by a relative of the accused with a bribe to set the accused free.
The trial began two weeks ago and might have ended in another day or two. Nine of the eleven witnesses had already testified.
Addressing the attempt to corrupt the jury and pervert the course of justice, Justice Patterson said that this has been happening in Berbice far too often. He said that this is the second attempt to bribe the jury in recent times.
Justice Patterson commended the jury for being frank and forthright. He said that the jury member was not culpable. He said that the man identified the person making the approach and when the police were called in, repeated his story without contradiction.
The family member approaching the jury reportedly told the juror that the family had paid a lot to the lawyers and that business was not bright. He reportedly said that it would be worth the while to set the accused free.
Sookchine allegedly killed his wife on June 3, 2005. At the time the woman was having an affair with a cousin of the accused, Mark Bangru, who lived four doors away.
The defence lawyers, Marcel Crawford and his son, Ryan, posited that Bangru had killed the woman. However, Bangru took the witness stand and denied the allegation. He was crucial to the trial.
When the trial was aborted the court was shocked. When contacted, Prosecutor Dionne McCammon said that she was surprised that a relative of the accused would try to bribe the jury.
Sookchine’s relatives were also shocked and this did not hide. Sookchine was also surprised and according to spectators in the court he seemed set to flee.
However, the Marshal of the court and the lone prison officer summoned a vehicle in short order.
Jasodra Sookchine’s relatives were disappointed. They wanted closure and had hoped that the end of the trial would have brought some relief. The retrial will be listed for the next criminal session.

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